Chapter 128 The Old Madam's Demise
Xie Laotaitai staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Clutching her chest and leaning on her cane, the elderly lady hurried into Xie Shiwei's courtyard.
There, she saw her most treasured great-grandson Xie Shi'an curled on the ground, hands pressed against his forehead as blood seeped through his fingers, dripping steadily onto the floor.
The glaring crimson made the old madam's mind reel, and she almost fainted.
"You wretched creature! How could our Xie family produce such a vile thing!"
Gathering her remaining strength, the old madam rushed forward and struck Xie Shiwei's head without mercy with her cane.
Xie Shiwei, though only eight years old, was already quite tall. He grabbed the cane from the old madam's hands, wrested it away, and slammed it violently onto the ground.
The old madam was furious. How dare this wretched boy fight back!
She stepped forward, seized Xie Shiwei by the ear, and commanded, "Kneel! Kneel down right now! Today, I will straighten out this wicked creature!"
"I won't kneel! I refuse!" Xie Shiwei yelled. "The one who should kneel is him! He killed his own birth mother—he should kneel and atone! What did I do wrong? I only scraped the hand of Marquis Xuanwu's heir, drawing a little blood. Why should I suffer for this...?"
"You insolent brat!"
Trembling with rage, Xie Laotaitai raised her hand to slap him.
But Xie Shiwei dodged, shoved her hard, and dashed away.
With her cane taken and Mama Zhou attending to Xie Shi'an, the old madam had no one to support her. Pushed by Xie Shiwei, she lost her balance and fell backward.
Thud!
A loud crash echoed.
Xie Shi'an looked up abruptly and saw the back of the old madam's head hit the ground, the brick beneath quickly staining red.
Xie Shiwei froze in terror, forgetting to run.
Just as Xie Jingyu entered the courtyard, he witnessed the scene.
He immediately seized Xie Shiwei and ordered, "Tie up this unfilial son and throw him into the woodshed!"
The stunned servant snapped to attention, grabbed Xie Shiwei, gagged him, and dragged him toward the woodshed.
Mama Zhou abandoned Xie Shi'an and scrambled to the old madam's side. She saw the elderly lady's eyes wide open, her face ashen.
Trembling, Mama Zhou checked the old madam's breath and recoiled in horror. "N-No... it's terrible... The old madam has no breath..."
Hearing this, Xie Jingyu's left leg gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
He tried to stand but found his left leg, like his left hand, completely powerless.
Overwhelmed by panic, he used his right hand to push himself up, dragged his left leg to the old madam's side, and knelt down, his legs buckling beneath him.
He reached out to check for breath but detected none. The old madam's wide-open eyes reminded him of the blood-filled sockets of He Shi's eyes from countless nightmares.
His hand moved upward to cover the old madam's eyes.
His entire body trembled, tears falling uncontrollably, drop by drop, before he broke into sobs.
"Father, now is not the time for tears," Xie Shi'an whispered, pressing his wounded forehead. "So many people in the courtyard saw Wei Ge'er push the old madam. They will all believe Wei Ge'er caused her death. If this gets out, the Xie family... the Xie family is finished..."
Wei Ge'er would be arrested and interrogated.
The Censorate would impeach Father for failing to discipline his son.The younger generation of the Xie family was unfilial, and he would also be implicated. Everyone would consider him unfilial as well...
Xie Jingyu looked up and met Xie Shi'an's gaze.
At such a moment, his eldest son was not first grieving over Old Madam's death but calculating his own gains and losses.
For the first time, he realized that this son was truly selfish and self-serving to the extreme.
Yet he had to admit that An Ge'er was right.
If this matter spread, the Xie family would be ruined.
He turned his head and saw four or five servants and three or four maids standing in the courtyard, with two or three elderly women at the entrance.
With so many people, it was impossible to keep their mouths shut.
"Father, Great-grandmother is already dead," Xie Shi'an's voice was low and somewhat hoarse. "If Great-grandmother knew her death would bring calamity upon the Xie family, she would not rest in peace. Father, some matters must be decisively handled."
Xie Jingyu's mind was in chaos.
He had always been a filial person; otherwise, he wouldn't have exchanged his newlywed wife for the life-saving divine medicine.
He hadn't even processed the news of Old Madam's passing, and now he had to deal with this mess. His head ached terribly, almost to the point of splitting.
"An... An Ge'er, do as you see fit."
He handed the decision-making authority to Xie Shi'an.
Xie Shi'an's head also hurt, but it was only a superficial injury. His mind remained clear.
He spoke gravely, "Gather everyone who witnessed Old Madam's death in this courtyard. Set it on fire, along with Old Madam's body..."
Only the dead could keep secrets.
To the outside world, they would claim that a fire broke out in the Xie residence, and Old Madam, being elderly, couldn't escape, perishing in the flames along with these servants.
Xie Jingyu stared in disbelief. He glanced at Xie Shi'an and saw the cold indifference and resolve on his son's face.
He then looked at Old Madam—her wrinkled face had turned ashen gray.
In his childhood, while his father studied and his mother accompanied him, it was his grandmother who raised him. His feelings for her couldn't be summed up in just a few words.
He had vowed to ensure his grandmother lived out her years in comfort, enjoyed her twilight years, and was buried with honor...
But now—
His grandmother had died with grievances.
Her body was to be subjected to flames.
She would find no peace even in death!
...Yet, he had no choice.
Xie Jingyu closed his eyes, about to speak,
when hurried footsteps sounded at the courtyard entrance.
Immediately after, Yun Chu's anxious voice rang out, "How could this happen? Old Madam, what's wrong with Old Madam! Quick, go fetch a physician!"
Xie Jingyu's heart sank. Why had Yun Chu come...
Xie Shi'an took a deep breath and said, "Mother, Great-grandmother has already passed away. Calling a physician is useless now."
"What? Old Madam is dead..." Yun Chu staggered, her voice filled with sorrow. "No, I refuse to believe she's gone just like that! Why are you all standing around? You, hurry and fetch a doctor! You, go to Shande Hall to buy ginseng to sustain Old Madam! And you, quickly inquire about the whereabouts of a miracle doctor..."
Several servants in the courtyard were dispatched by Yun Chu.
She continued giving orders, "Mama Zhou, and the rest of you, quickly carry Old Madam to Anshou Hall!"
The remaining servants in the courtyard gathered and hastily lifted Old Madam, bustling out of Xie Shiwei's courtyard and heading toward Anshou Hall.The entire path was crowded with servants who had heard the commotion and come to watch the spectacle. When Old Madam emerged from the courtyard covered in blood, nearly two-thirds of the Xie household witnessed it firsthand.
Xie Jingyu's heart pounded violently, as if about to leap from his chest.
He looked toward Xie Shi'an, toward this son who had always been clever, yet even in Xie Shi'an's eyes he saw bewilderment.
Seven or eight servants could be silenced with a single fire, but with so many people in the Xie residence... they couldn't possibly burn them all. The death of Xie Laotaitai could no longer be concealed!
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